Sealing arrangement



May 10, 1960 R. s. HATCHER, JR

SEALING ARRANGEMENT Filed March 12, 1958 INVENTOR RUSSELL S.HATCHER.JR.

BY 6g I 4 q M71041) ATTORNEYS SEALING GEMENT Russell S. Hatchet, In,Amarillo, Tex., assignor to Maynard Sash & Door Company, Amarillo, Tex.,a corporation of Texas Application March 12, 1958, Serial No. 721,038

4 Claims. (Cl. 20-69) This invention relates to scaling arrangements forjoints, and in particular to a sealing strip arrangement parti'cularlyadapted for sealing doors and the like.

Conventional sealing arrangements for the joints in a door constructionare currently constructed of metal strips. These and similarconventional strips are not entirely satisfactory. The weather sealformed thereby, when the door is closed, frequently includes numerousair gaps along the edges of the door, which, in addition to failing toprovide a well sealed joint, may result in such vibration of the sealingstrip during severe wind conditions that undesirable high-pitched soundsare emitted. Some attempts have been made to overcome this and otherdisadvantages of known sealing strips, but for one reason or another,they have not been completely successful.

The present invention, on the other hand, proposes a novel sealingarrangement for doors'capableof providing a satisfactory continuous andeffective seal along the edges of the door.

Furthermore, it is proposed that the novel sealing arrangement include aflexible, resilient strip arranged adjacent the frame for the door andadapted not only to provide a tight seal with the respective door edge,but also'to act as a shock absorber 'virtually eliminating thenoiseincident to closing the door, and further to compensate forvariations in door dimensions thereby permitting a greater tolerancewhile still assuring a proper fit for the door in the door frame.

Still further objectives are to have the novel sealing arrangement ofsimplified design, capable of being easily and economically produced andinstalled, and adapted to function satisfactorily under adverseconditions for long periods of time.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obviousand in part pointed out hereinaften The novel features of the inventionmay be best made clear from the following description and accompanyingdrawings in which; 7 p p H n p p Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspectiveview of a wall having a typical door frame and door construction towhich the present invention is applicable;

Figure 2 is an enlarged and fragmentary sectional view taken generallyalong line 2-2 of Figure 1 and showing an embodiment of the invention inan exemplary mounting position; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a sealing strip embodyingthe invention.

In one aspect, the invention contemplates the provision of sealingstrips and means for mounting the strips adjacent the door frame parts,with the sealing strips being constructed of resilient material andincluding a longitudinal base portion, and a longitudinal tubularportion, and with the mounting means including a bar having alongitudinal groove therein in which the base portion of the strip issecured.

In another aspect, the invention contemplates the provision of anintegral and resilient sealing strip including ice a longitudinalanchoring or base portion and a longitudinal tubular portion on the baseportion, the tubular portion being of generally semicircularconfiguration in transverse section, with a longitudinal reinforcing webin the tubular portion joining it to the base portion and with atleastone longitudinal sealing lip on the exterior of the tubular portion forintimate sealing engagement to g the jamb parts 22, as indicated inFigure 2. Since the:

novel sealing arrangement of the invention is particularly adapted to beused in combination with door frames for v sealingly engaging the edgesof the doors, it will be shown. and described, for illustrativepurposes, as applied to the: typical door and frame construction shownin the drawing. However, it will be appreciated thatthe novel seal ingarrangement may be used in other environments for" similar purposes.

The illustrative embodiment of the sealing arrangement: of the inventionshown in Figures 2 and 3 includes a. sealing strip 34 and a mountingmeans 36 therefor,. adapted to be installed along the door frame. Thissealing arrangement may be appropriately fitted into each of the doorframe parts 20, 22, 24, if desired, in a manner to be explainedhereinbelow;-or it may be fitted only to the jamb 22 and head 20 parts.In any event, it is contemplated that the sealing strip 34 be positionedparalleli to and substantially coextensive with the adjacent edge: ofthe door and in the path of movement thereof when the:

door is closed.

plastic is believed to be highly advantageous.

The strip 34 further includes a reinforcing web 4t) within the tubularportion 38 and joining it to the base portion 36, as indicated. A bottomwall 42 preferably extends from adjacent an end 44 of the tubularportion 38 to the base of the reinforcing web, andlongitudinall'yextending lips 46 are formed on the exterior of tubular portion 38, fora purpose to be referred. to in more de V will provide an attractiveappearance.

tail hereinbelow.

The mounting means 36 for the sealing strip 34, as

indicated in the illustrative embodirnent thereof, preferably is ofangulated construction including the leg portions 48, 50. The legportion 48 is formed with a longitudinal groove 52 therein, in which thebase portion 37 of the sealing strip is adapted to be anchored orsecured. In this connection, base portion 37 and groove 52 may be of theconfiguration shown, whereby they will be dovetailed, with the end 44 ofthe tubular portion engaging the adjacent corner of the bar 36 so thatthe outline of the tubular portion 38 in this region will desirablymerge or be substantially flush with the fiat surface of leg 50, asshown. Thus the combined structure of the sealing strip 34 and the bar36, when assembled and installed, Although the bar 36 may be made of anysuitable material, it is preferred that it be made of aluminum orsimilar light weight metal, formed by an extrusion process.

To install the combined strip 34 and bar 36 in position in the doorframe, it is preferred that the frame Patented May 10, 1960' part inquestion include a longitudinal shoulder 54 and a longitudinal groove 56adjacent thereto, in the manner indicated in Figure 2. Further, a recess58 is formed at the outer end of the shoulder 54. The bar 36 isinstalled in position by disposing the free end of leg 48 in priategroove 64 extending inwardly from the recess 58. in substantially flushrelation to the adjacent surface of the frame part, and with leg 48abutting shoulder 54, as shown. Suitable means will be provided foranchoring the bar in this position. For example, as shown, alongitudinally and inwardly extending portion 60 may be provided on theleg 50, as illustrated, and having serrations 62 or the like thereon tobe fastened in an appropriate groove 64 extending inwardly from therecess 58. Additional fastening means may also be utilized if desired,such as screws extending through the leg 50 at right angles thereto, andinto the underlying frame. I

It will be understood that the sealing strip 34 and bar 36 preferablywill extend substantially co-extensively with the frame part on whichthey are mounted, and the tubular portion 38 will be disposed at leastsomewhat in the path of the door 28 as it is being closed, as indicatedin Figure 2. By virtue of this construction and arrangement, it shouldbe evident that when the door is closed, the edges thereof will engageand deform the tubular portion 38 of the sealing strip. The reinforcingweb 40 enables the tubular portion 38 to maintain its shape and willprovide a certain desirable amount of stiffness thereto. The main partof the tubular portion, however, which is the part primarily engaged bythe door when it is closed, possesses a greater degree of resiliencythan that part to which the reinforcing webis joined. Hence, when thedoor is closed, tubular portion 38 will be readily deflected into firmsealing engagement therewith substantially throughout the entire lengththereof. Additionally, the longitudinally extending lips 46 will also bedeflected by the edge of the door when it is closed, and thus, theselips will also be resiliently and firmly pressed against the region ofthe door edge to provide still further assurance that a desirablecontinuous seal will be efiected along the joint.

It should be reiterated that among the various virtues of the sealingarrangement of the present invention, it will be noted that the sealeffected thereby virtually eliminates the possibility of any air leaksand wind noises caused thereby; it absorbs the shock of door closingmovements thus minimizing noises incident thereto; and by projectinginwardly into the path of closing movement of the door and beingflexible, it will provide for greater tolerance in the dimensions of thedoor, thus enabling a desired sealing action to be elfected with doorsthat might he slightly undersize or slightly oversize.

The present invention will thus be seen to completely and effectivelyaccomplish the objects enumerated hereinabove. It will be realized,however, that various changes and substitutions may be made to thespecific embodiments disclosed herein for the purpose of illustratingthe principles of this invention, without departing from theseprinciples. Therefore, this invention includes all modificationsencompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

\I claim:

1. In combination with a door frame having head, sill and jamb parts,the improvement which comprises: a sealing strip and means for mountingsaid strip adjacent any of said frame parts in parallel relationthereto, said sealing strip being constructed of resilient material andincluding a longitudinal base portion, a longitudinal tubular portionjoined to said base portion, and an external longitudinal lip on saidtubular portion, said lip projecting substantially tangentiallyoutwardly from said tubular portion toward an adjacent portion of thedoor frame, and said mounting means including a longitudinally groovedbar adapted to be positioned against any of said frame parts, said baseportion being anchored in said groove.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said strip further includesan internal reinforcing web, said tubular portion being of generallysemi-circular configuration in transverse section, and a plurality ofadjacent longitudinal external lips being provided on said tubularportion and projecting substantially tangentially therefrom.

'3. The structure defined in claim 2 wherein said bar is of angulatedsectional configuration, one of the legs thereof being provided withsaid groove, and anchoring means carried by the other leg and adapted tobe anchored to the door frame part to secure said mounting means andsealing strip in operative position.

4. A sealing strip and mounting means therefor comprising: a metallicmounting member having an L-shaped cross-sectional configuration andanchoring means integrally formed therewith and projecting from theshorter leg of said mounting member parallel to and extending in thesame direction as the longer leg of said mounting member; the longer leghaving a longitudinally disposed groove on the opposite side from saidshorter leg; a sealing strip comprising a base portion and a tubularsealing portion mounted within said longitudinal groove; an integralreinforcing web within said tubular portion; said sealing portion havinga substantially semi-circular crosssectional configuration and at leastone integrally outwardly extending lip projecting substantiallytangentially and generally in the same direction as the longer leg andintegral anchoring means of said metallic mounting member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,263,806 Hammerl Nov. 215, 1941 2,622,286 Beck Dec. 23, 1952 2,710,432Surdanik June 14, 1955 2,739,357 Seabrook Mar. 27, 1956 2,779,070 KellerJan. 29, 1957 2,801,450 Funke Aug. 6, 1957 2,837,151 Stroup June 3, 19582,843,233 Walsh July 15, 1958

